Smitha Madhav

RAAGAM RAAGHAVAM
Based on the myriad retellings of the Ramayana, this dance work attempts to view the Ramayana from a fresh perspective and explore the rich human values enshrined in this great epic.  Highlighting specific instances that exude love, friendship, benevolence and honesty, this work draws on lyrics from the works of Tyagaraja, Muttuswamy Dikshitar, Arunachala Kavirayar, Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyer, Sadasiva Brahmendra, Mysore Sadasiva Rao, Kambar, Valmiki etc.

Solo performance with live music

NAVASANDHI: A DANCE TRIBUTE TO THE DIKPALAS
Inspired by the  "Navasandhi Kautuvams" performed in the temples of South India as obeisance to the Dikpalas -- deities who are the custodians of the various directions, this production is enhanced by rare stories from the Puranas. This presentation throws light on the art and science of Vaastu as well as mythology.

Solo perfromance with live music

SREE VENKATA GIREESHAM BHAJE
Inspired by the millions of devotees who make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Tirumala, the foremost of the hindu temples, this dance  work  is strung together using compositions of several poets. Conceived as a pilgrimage beginning at Tiruchanur (the alamelu manga temple at the foothills) and concluding at the Ananda Nilaya (the balaji temple atop the 7 hills), the pilgrim visits various temples on her way up the hills and sings of the legends associated with these shrines. The lyrics for this work have been chosen from the works of  Annamacharya, Tyagaraja, Papanasam Sivan, the Azhwars, interspersing them with pieces from the traditional bhajana padhathi, songs sung by wandering minstrels.

Solo performance with live music

KESAADI PAADAM
This is the concluding canto of Sri Narayana Bhattadri’s magnum opus -- the  Naaraayeneeyam, a Sanskrit composition comprising 1036 verses that describes the various incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Bhattadri was suffering from an incurable ailment when he composed this poem, and legend has it that as he composed the concluding canto, his suffering was alleviated. This last canto, that has come to be known as the  "Kesaadi Paadam" describes the physical form of Lord Narayana in loving detail from head to toe. This works stands apart from the rest of the Vaishnava canon in beginning its description at the Lord’s head and proceeding down to His lotus feet.
Smitha has woven together the 12 slokas (verses) of the Kesaadi Padam along with few namavalis (recitations of the Lord's many names).

Solo performance with live music

Naalaayira Divya Prabandham
Smitha has choreographed several segments of Prabandham literature to form solo works strung together into several productions of varying length.  Performed to the accompaniment of a live orchestra, the individual numbers explore a wide spectrum of human emotions – shringaram (romance), vaatsalyam (maternal affection), bhakthi (devotion) and sharanagathi (surrender to the Almighty).  The Naalaayira Divya Prabandham is a corpus of passionate hymns sung by the Azhwar mystics between the 5th and 8th century. The scholar saint Nathamuni retrieved and compiled these compositions in an effort that many consider a crowning achievement in the history of classical Tamil literature.

Solo Performance with live and recorded music